Since You Asked: What's the status of the 9/11 memorial at Sutter museum?

Q: Has any progress been made on the 9/11 memorial project for the Sutter County museum?

A: A recent influx of community volunteers has given new life to the project.

The Oswald-Tudor Fire Department could still use a few more donations, especially concrete, but they still hope to break ground some time in the next two weeks.

"We're pretty much ready to start digging," Capt. Glenn Aronowitz said.

Plans to erect a 9/11 memorial at the Community Memorial Museum of Sutter County on Butte House Road in Yuba City using a two-foot steel I-beam pulled from the wreckage of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, hit a snag last year after a contractor backed out at the last minute.

Other financial issues kept the project in limbo for more than a year.

Two months ago, the Fire Department started receiving offers from several local contractors and other local citizens offering to help jump-start the project.

Firefighters selected Tri-D Associated Builders Inc. of Yuba City to perform the work. Iron Workers Local 118 of Sacramento also offered to donate their time, Aronowitz said.

Dan and Kelly Stephens, of Stephens Farmhouse, helped connect the workers to the Fire Department, Aronowitz said.

Additionally, Aronowitz said, county government officials have been helpful, waiving the usual building and planning fees and helping with design plans. No public money was used for the project.

"We've really appreciated all the support," Aronowitz said.

The I-beam was just one of thousands of pieces of the World Trade Center complex given away several years ago. Firefighters do not know if the I-beam came from one of the twin towers or one of the other trade center buildings at ground zero.

Firefighters are still looking for additional donations of concrete, but everything appears to be in place to begin work.

If you would like to make a donation, call the Oswald-Tudor Fire Department at 673-2804.

Since You Asked is published on Mondays. Send questions to reporter Rob Parsons at the Appeal-Democrat, 1530 Ellis Lake Drive, Marysville, CA 95901, email him at rparsons@appealdemocrat.com or call 749-4785.